Friday, May 9, 2008

Barbara Peacock - In Living Color

Barbara Peacock is a spirited, self-taught artist who isn’t afraid to explore different media, color, design and style. She got her enviable start in the arts when she was a child with a mother who worked for Disney making 'Mickey Mouse' when he was still black & white. Sometimes, Barbara got to help!

An aspect of Barbara’s talent that deserves a lot of respect is the pleasure she gets from sharing her talent with others.....especially when others tell her that she is good at it! (And she IS good at it!)

“Teaching others and seeing their pleasure at conquering the task....well, that makes me feel so good! So, I do love the teaching part! “

Barbara began her professional art career creating portraits in oils. However, once she mastered the media, she decided to explore other areas of art. “ I have done all types of crafts, all types of painting, stained glass, bead work, glass fusing, glass blowing, and glass making.

Glass has always fascinated me.....the way it cuts, melts, fuses, strings out, gets so thin when you blow it.....and the colors are incredible!!!!! “

Barbara began making mosaics because a neighbor expressed an interest in having a mosaic installed in her home.

“I looked at it, knew I could do it...and did it!! That was in 2003....then I did nothing but look at mosaics for a few years. They mesmerized me.....the placement of so many small 'something's' to complete a 'something' so BIG! And, what fun mixing all the tiny different items and having it come out looking like something!”

In October of 2007, Barbara traveled to Italy to participate in the Masters Class at Orsoni Glass in Venice. That was her first experience working with smalti. This picture shows a piece that she worked on in the class. Albeit incomplete, it is beautiful!

She fell in love with it's shine and sparkle but, by no means, limits her glass work to smalti alone. Give her a pair of nippers and there are no limits to what this woman can do!

“To me mosaics are always the same and always different. From the very first cut to grouting....or not grouting.”

Barbara loves a good challenge and her work shows this.

“Placing a small piece so that it compliments the whole is my life story!“

Take a look at more pictures of Barbara Peacock's work by clicking HERE.

barb, i really enjoyed looking at your work, esp. the orsoni peacock! really fine! i will be returning to orsoni this summer for a short 3 days!big question re: your no-days snake. i can't seem to follow the technique from the pics. i have used no days as the adhesive instead of thinset...you seem to use it with thinset. are you doing some sort of double reverse? in other words, are you using it both top and bottom and then melting it off the bottom before setting the section onto a thinset bed? sure would appreciate further understanding!